Step 6: Finishing Up

Step 3: Attach the spigot

Trace the small end of the flexible downspout on the lid of your barrel where you want it connected. There are several ways you could cut the hole, what we did is drill a hole in the center of the marked area, and then used a jigsaw to cut along the marks. When you’re done cutting the hole, make sure the downspout fits snugly. A little wiggle room is fine, but don’t make the hole larger than some silicon will seal up so bugs don’t swarm in.

Attaching the Spigot

You’ll want the spigot as low as possible; otherwise you’ll have water sitting in the bottom of the barrel that you’ll never make use of. Keeping in mind where your barrel(s) will be positioned, determine the best place for the spigot to be located. Mark the location, and make sure where you’re drilling won’t puncture the bottom or cause other problems. As mentioned above, use a drill bit the same size as the stem of the spigot or ever so slightly larger. Drill your hole and make sure the spigot fits as desired. If your spigot uses screws on the front to secure it, mark the location of the holes and use a drill bit just smaller than the threads of the screws. The spigot we used had a threaded stem, so securing it in place just required tightening down the back nut on the inside of the barrel. Before you secure it, make sure you apply silicon around any holes to make it water resistant.